Talamo rides to upset in Hirsch

Jockey Joe Talamo, who won’t turn 18 until Jan. 12, picked up his second Grade I stakes victory over the Santa Anita turf in a week Saturday, guiding 5-1 shot Artiste Royal to an upset victory over 3-5 favorite The Tin Man in the $250,000 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship.

Artiste Royal, a 6-year-old son of Danehill, put blinkers back on in his second start since joining the barn of trainer Neil Drysdale and came away with a one-length victory in 1 minute 59.89 seconds for the 1 1/4 miles.

Winless in nine previous races in this country after three victories in Europe, Artiste Royal earned $150,000 for owners David and Jill Heerensperger.

In the process, the Irish-bred kept The Tin Man from joining John Henry as a three-time winner of the Hirsch, which was formerly called the Oak Tree Invitational. Last year, The Tin Man finished a half-length in front of Artiste Royal, who finished third.

This time, The Tin Man got the lead briefly approaching the stretch, but could not match strides with the winner late.

“Everything worked out the way we thought it would,” said Talamo, who also won a Grade I turf race last week aboard Nashoba’s Key. Drysdale “was very confident and he told me to just keep this horse outside and out of trouble.”

It was not surprising that a 2-year-old colt remained unbeaten after three starts with a win in the $400,000 Champagne at Belmont Park.

The stunner was that the juvenile was not Majestic Warrior, who disappointed as the even-money favorite after a pair of authoritative victories at Saratoga. He finished sixth in the field of eight.

Rather, War Pass was the youngster who stayed perfect with a wire-to-wire score in the Grade I.

Owned by Robert LaPenta and trained by Nick Zito, the son of Cherokee Run held off 32-1 shot Pyro to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, War Pass, the 9-2 third choice, ran the mile in 1:36.12 and will return in three weeks in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

One race later, Indian Blessing, a 3-5 choice, remained perfect in two starts, easily dispatching eight rivals in the $400,000 Frizette. The favorite also prevailed in the $300,000 Jamaica Handicap as Nobiz Like Shobiz stayed unbeaten in three races on grass, winning the Grade II by four lengths at odds of 19-10.

Wicked Style is undefeated in three outings after his wire-to-wire victory at 11-1 odds in the $560,000 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.

Robby Albarado rode the 2-year-old Macho Uno colt for Ashbrook Farm and trainer Rusty Arnold in the first of two Grade I races on the program. Gold Train, a 52-1 shot, had to be euthanized after suffering a leg injury early in the race.

In the other Grade I, 20-1 outsider Purim rallied to collar Cosmonaut near the wire in the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile.

In other stakes, Wild Gams won the $300,000 Thoroughbred Club Of America, Off Duty won the $250,000 Phoenix and Vacare beat Precious Kitten in the $400,000 First Lady.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com